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April 8, 2005
Surveys and In-Flight Cell Phones
Some media outlets are making much of a new study out showing that most airline passengers don't want cellphones allowed on planes. While I'm sympathetic to that view -- airline cabins are one of the few technology oases in my over-connected life -- I am skeptical about the conclusion. If cellphones were allowed on planes I think you would rapidly see them widely used, however irritating that might be to the rest of us in-air Luddites.
So, how are we to explain the results cited in the study? After all ....
- 78 percent of participants agreed that cell phone use in already-tense, close quarters of an airplane could lead to increased passenger unruliness and interfere with flight attendants' ability to maintain order.
- 78 percent believed that cell phones might distract passengers from hearing life-saving instructions in an emergency.
- 82 percent said cell phones might "make planes uncomfortable and be disruptive" to passengers wishing to read or nap.
- 87 percent were alarmed when informed that pilots have reported many cases of problems with navigational equipment possibly caused by cell phones or other electronic devices turned on in flight.
- 84 percent agreed that it is too soon to lift the ban while the Federal Aviation Administration is still studying whether cell phones interfere with aircraft systems.
Easy. While there is no denying that some/many people are averse to cellphones on planes, these results all have leading questions embedded in the results. In every response you can see how the survey suggested an untoward possibility to respondents, and then dutifully reported how people balked at the idea.
Question order would also matter immensely. Once you told people the FAA was studying the matter, and told them that it was possible (although unlikely) cellphones had messed up navigational gear, all subsequent results would be badly skewed.
Why would a flawed survey be conducted? As always, follow the money: The Communication Workers of America paid for it, and that union not coincidentally represents airline attendants, a group that (understandably) does not want cellphones on planes.
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43% of all statistics are made up on the spot.